Tuesday, August 27, 2013

The 2 Senior Reporters at KTVU That Management Wanted Out But Are Stuck; News that You'll Get Only NOT on KTVU

John Fowler/KTVU photo

Tom Vacar

Tom Vacar is a seasoned KTVU Bay Area News Reporter, Consumer Editor and aviation expert. He's been in the market for over three decades and has won a host of industry awards, including five Emmys.

Vacar is a lawyer too. He doesn't practice but he has a law degree. At various times in the past, management has wanted to part ways with Vacar but pulled back. Remember, he's a lawyer and he has mucho tenure at Channel 2. Not good to mess with a lawyer--they haven't...yet.

*Health and Science Editor, John Fowler, has been a KTVU stalwart since 1975. A station source recently told me the station has a problem: "Fowler doesn't ever want to retire." That's contrary to what KTVU wants/wanted but are you really going to show the door to a 38-year vet? Hell no and even if you tried, the union would be all over your ass. As they should.

I find Rich a liar much of the time. However, in this case he is spot on. Management has tried to force both Tom and John out the door for a long time. Ed clashed with both of them because he couldn't hold a candle to them intellectually or ethically. I can only imagine how how a little boy like Rosenthal must feel.

Two consummate pros.. have worked with both of them... they've forgotten more than their ND and GM know about TV, News and Journalism.. plus they have great senses of humor and can spin a yarn that engages and audience... so.. Listen up KTVU... with audience demos over 50.. why would they want to watch kids playing tv... the once great blowtorch is no longer... me thinks the Emperor has no clothes...

These are the best reporters left. Claudine Wong is very good in the field, I miss Jade Hernandez who pops up only occasionally, Ken What's His Name With The New Face and Mike Mibach are both very good reporters, Robert Handa is very good, Patty Lee is good, another long time Asian female whose name is on holiday in my brain is also great, but you can have the rest of the reporter no talents. The morning crew is just awful. Brian Flores has promise. I miss Kraig Debro, and Jesse Gary who landed in LA. I miss Randy, Rita, Dennis, etc. The news now is just pig slop.

Fowler and Vacar are solid reporters. Experienced. What does that mean? They have good journalistic sense. They know the difference between what's right and wrong. Unlike the cheap labor that just graduated from the Columbia School of Broadcasting that media people who are slaves to the MS-Excel spreadsheet want these days.

I know not being able to jettison these two pros is really pissing off the penny counters in the tower. I'm crying crocodile tears for you mean-spirited gutless swine.

Just remember: you'll get yours in time. There will come a situation when YOU will be making too much and some other machete-carrying ass++++ will want to cut your cahones or vajayjay off too. I hope those you've hurt will be there to see you cry about not being able to pay the mortgage, liquidating your 401K or not being able to pay for your kid's private school.

> Fowler and Vacar are solid reporters. Experienced. > What does that mean? They have good journalistic > sense. They know the difference between what's right > and wrong. Unlike the cheap labor that just graduated > from the Columbia School of Broadcasting...

What in the world are you talking about??? Most of these people today graduated from Chico State and learned how to keep their hair unmussed when reporting in a stiff wind. The *vets* graduated from Columbia.

Bob McKenzie, Betty Ann Bruno, Rita Williams, Lloyd LaCuesta, Sara Sidner, Leslie Griffith, George Watson, Shandobil, etc were All Pro at writing and producing stories that ran the gamut from REAL breaking News or stories that were those slice of life moments. 'Trending' as the people with master degrees carrying empty briefcases now refer is more about what the pollsters confirm.

First the good news- Both do an outstanding job and KTVU is lucky to have them. Keep them and keep them happy. The youngsters may/should learn a thing or two if the admin lets them.

Bad news-Rich, are you effing kidding me? If I were either of them, I'd go absolutely ballistic if you aired my laundry, true or not, based on a third party source rather than myself. If they rubber stamped the fact and approved release only if under the guise of the 3rd party ghost source, shame on them too. Information, misinformation, disinformation...where does it end?

I'm all for fair treatment, but fair or not, much of TV's appeal has always been showing attractive people doing or saying interesting things. Older folks can excite as well, but the impact and the demograph effected changes. Do any networks put visual appeal or marketability into the contracts so they can legally 'reassign' as needed? It seems pretentious for folks to be shocked, SHOCKED that a news show would more often than not want a younger face and physique to feature on the air. I say that acknowledging I'm only average looking and don't have an ounce of that sort of training.

Main stream news offers choices for the average 8 Y/O and there's little time allocated for the grown ups. Why does a newscast include topics like the goings on in reality tv shows? A diet that consists of less and less meat and potatoes...the 8 Y/O's food pyramid mimics the news pyramid.

Breaking news? that's the sugary cereal with a toy inside, just a mouse click away.

Want to capture a fish's attention? Bright shiney objects are the way to go. When was the last time you saw a local newscast with a tasteful background?

"much of TV's appeal has always been showing attractive people doing or saying interesting things. Older folks can excite as well, but the impact and the demograph effected changes. Do any networks put visual appeal or marketability into the contracts so they can legally 'reassign' as needed?"

Explain Dave McElhatton then. Seems he had a pretty good run and I highly doubt he ever blow dried his hair.

60 minutes? Using 60 minutes as an example demonstrates how little people are paying attention to the err. It's just slow pitch softball now, selling premium commercial time based on the brand they created decades ago. They did a piece on Lady gaga for christ sake. All the stuff going on in the world and they only have 40 minutes after the commercials but they have time for trivial pursuits.

4;59 asks about the most popular news anchor, most watched in USA who is over 65? I would guess you mean the one President Richard Nixon used to call "That tall blondish girl" now known as THEE MS Dianne Saywer. She's always a Lady, (even when shilling for the DEMS.)

Hmmm....ever met her? I have. Ever worked with her? I have. Not a lady. Manipulative and cold. Cute as a babydoll on camera. Why do people always assume because someone is warm and sweet on camera that's what they're like. How do you think they get those jobs???

11:54 has a point. We in the public are often easily fooled by a "warm" smile or a "caring" tone to the voice. I good actor or actress can pull it off. Good Looking people already know these secrets or social manipulation. I suppose for Dianne Sawyer to survive in that competitive business for as long as she has, by necessity, Dianne had become tough and aggressive with self promotion. They used to call that kind of smile "Butter wouldn't melt in her mouth", a saying where i understand the intent, but it never really made sense.

I didn't say she was a lady. Fortunately she isn't puffy , but hardcore savvy. I have met her and we did work in the same building for a few years, but on different shows. We had the same hairdresser and the same jumbo rollers...very good for the Veronica Lake style wave,terrific on camera.

Yawn is right. There's no doubt that 7:02 would find boredom at one of those famous NYC dinner parties thrown by Diane Sawyer and Mike Nichols (her husband) for the city's top artists,diplomats,financiers, and actors. 6:13, Diane Sawyer worked for Richard Nixon, you know, helping him assemble his memoirs,post resignation.

A ' Anderson Cooper" Type @ KTVU-cox-fox is whats needed. For those young enough to remember Anderson Cooper was Programed to the Youth Via "Channel 1" Public school television Years Before CNN. KTVU needs to Hire NEW Talent in similarto how they got Gasia Mikaelian in 2005. KTVU is stale in 2013. It has this Late 80's Early 90's Image that folks like Dennis Richmond and Ellaine Corral carved out. NBC 3 & ABC7 just look alot fresher with the news @ 11pm then "Channel 2" does.

Worked at 2 with both John and "TV Tom". Fine fellows and indeed competent, smart and funny guys. They were dignified, straight shooting and honest. No wonder corporate media wants them out. It's been what? 30 years? I'm living in Ennis, County Clare where the pace of life is a little, eh, slower than in the SFO metroplex, but I remember some fine times in the KTVU newsroom.